memorable randarts

[Derakon]

Angband mages are a bit counterintuitive for many people, since they are a lot better at melee and ranged combat than most fantasy mages, and comparatively worse at using magic to blast things. Of course, they're still the worst melee/ranged class in the game (and one of the two best blaster classes); the main point is that that doesn't make melee or ranged combat completely unviable.

Hell, back in the day mages primarily did their damage through melee/ranged combat, because a) their attack spells were much more expensive (and Raal's was the last dungeon spellbook instead of the first), and b) they had Globe of Invulnerability in the late game.

[scud]

Dave the Mage was struggling with those pesky unique angels until he retrained as an archer, allowing him to drop *everything* as far down as Lungorthin before they got within 50' of him...



Which is just as well, because he still melees like a girl.

[scud]

The probability of finding an artifact depends on DL only and not on CL. So if you wish to find artifacts soon you should probably dive faster. Just watch out for out-of-depth Drolems and you'll be fine (famous last words).

The problem was that I had (and still have) such huge resistance holes that getting down to 'randart levels' was a real problem. Found randart ethereal slippers +9 speed, which compensates for the holes and the lack of decent weaponry.

Have found four other artefacts between DL34-38, all of them very average, but have now broken the magic DL40 barrier and am stat-gaining nicely. Just *destroyed* Scatha thanks to some nice anti-dragon arrows, my biggest scalp so far.

But it's been a struggle: has taken me 1.5m turns to get to CL34, which is half my usual speed. Dave the Conjurer better be worth the effort!

[fph]

Looking at a few of my obituaries it appears that randart acquisition doesn't really kick in until CL31/32 and approaching DL40, so I'm not actually that far behind but I haven't got the means to survive encounters with anything significant. Given my current vulnerability I'm reduced to mugging trolls and the occasional ancient dragon until something useful turns up.

The probability of finding an artifact depends on DL only and not on CL. So if you wish to find artifacts soon you should probably dive faster. Just watch out for out-of-depth Drolems and you'll be fine (famous last words).

[scud]

Historically I've got with the stock artefacts, but over the last few months I've racked up at a guess 150m XP while playing with randarts and that's the first proper cursed item I've found.

Now CL31/DL33 and I've found one more...

The Broad Sword of Bormeneng (2d5) (+10,+14) <+2>
+2 wisdom.
+10% to searching.
Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
Sustains wisdom.
Blessed by the gods.

That bad boy would dish out 67.4 pts a round at my current STR/DEX.

Looking at a few of my obituaries it appears that randart acquisition doesn't really kick in until CL31/32 and approaching DL40, so I'm not actually that far behind but I haven't got the means to survive encounters with anything significant. Given my current vulnerability I'm reduced to mugging trolls and the occasional ancient dragon until something useful turns up.

Ah well.

[PowerWyrm]

This is based on Camlost, which is one of the few garbage arts, so you'll get a cursed randart as well.

[scud]

CL27 / DL28 high elf mage, wielding a main gauche of venom (1d5) (+7,+8) dropped by Wormtongue an age ago for a mighty 65.4 / 50.9 pts of damage. I try to avoid melee! I encountered one strange level that was littered with *slays* and elemental branded weapons for no apparent reason, where I found two of my three DSMs. So now if I encounter anything serious I have to ask them to wait while I go through wardrobe changes, activate breathes, and subsequently destroy most of the drops.

Other than the obligatory early Phial of Meh I'd found not a single randart until now...

t) the Set of Gauntlets of Shelin [3,-17] <-2> {cursed}
     Dropped by Draebor, the Imp at 1400 feet (level 28).
     
     Heavily cursed.
     -2 strength, constitution.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Aggravates creatures nearby.

I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a heavily cursed randart.

[Elbereth]

Heh, I just found these...

u) the Pair of Leather Boots of Rufin [2,+10] <+9>
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 3500 feet (level 70).
     
     +9 intelligence, speed.
     Provides protection from fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Feather Falling.

*drools*

[scud]

Not bad for any character and definitely not for magician

Heh, I just found these...

u) the Pair of Leather Boots of Rufin [2,+10] <+9>
     Found lying on the floor in a vault at 3500 feet (level 70).
     
     +9 intelligence, speed.
     Provides protection from fear.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Feather Falling.

Bleedin' useless to me, of course.

I've had boots with +8 or +9 to speed and stealth before, but I've never seen +9 on a 'stat'.

[Thraalbee]

Just completed a game in Vanilla 3.4.1. Found nice stuff but never this cloak.
Not bad for any character and definitely not for magician

the Ethereal Cloak of Elurod [0,+36] <+6>
-----------------------------------------
 This unearthly, completely transparent body mantle folds and drapes in
 iridescent patterns around you.  It weighs absolutely nothing.
 
 +6 intelligence, dexterity, constitution, charisma.
 +30% to searching.
 Provides resistance to fire, sound.
 Provides protection from fear, blindness.
 Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
 Slows your metabolism.  
 

Min Level 62, Max Level 127, Generation chance 30, Power 406, 0.0 lbs
Based on Celeborn.

[Derakon]

I'm uncertain exactly why they're considered to be unbalanced, but the way they provoke tedious gameplay is definitely to be discouraged. The "modern" solution was to give Cubragol a fire brand so that it automatically shoots flaming bolts without any need to enchant ammo (and deal with the extremely lengthy cooldown). However, the activation still exists, even if it is unused in the standard artifact set.

[emulord]

Surely firebranded bolts aren't too overpowered considering Cubragol already gives +10 speed?

Maybe discount them 100% off if you don't want them breaking the money game.
Its another variant of townscumming otherwise. Firebranded is probably the worst brand anyway.

[scud]

It all makes sense now.

Oh yes.

[Derakon]

It's a comment on how Cubragol's old activation was bad for gameplay (providing unlimited fire-branded bolts if you were willing to spend ages tediously waiting for it to recharge). Arguably the activation should no longer be available for items, so you wouldn't ever see that description.

[scud]

c) the Ring of Nahaegur (+1,+1) <+3>
     Dropped by a Pit Fiend at 4700 feet (level 94).
     
     +3 strength, intelligence, wisdom, constitution, charisma.
     +15% to searching.
     Provides immunity to fire.
     Provides resistance to acid, lightning, cold, poison, light, dark,
     shards, disenchantment.
     Provides protection from fear, blindness.
     Cannot be harmed by acid, electricity, fire, cold.
     Sustains strength, intelligence, constitution, charisma.
     Slows your metabolism.  Feather Falling.  Prevents paralysis. 
     Grants the ability to see invisible things.  
     
     When activated, it brands bolts with fire, in an unbalanced
     fashion.
     Takes 799 to 1267 turns to recharge at your current speed.
     Your chance of success is 87.5%

It's a lovely ring, allowing me to ditch the Weaponmastery (disen) and Quarterstaff 'Asbestoscottonwoolbud'. It also maintained my total lack of equipment-based DEX, at least until I got home and put on my lovingly stored Trickery.

But... can someone please tell me what 'unbalanced branding' is?